Analysis of baggage sorting schemes for containerized aircraft

Baggage transfer is a critical factor in determining connecting schedules at hub airports. This paper examines the potential benefits of ‘ramp transfers’-bags that bypass the hub sorting facility because they have been presorted at their point of origin. It presents three idealized baggage presorting strategies for containerized (wide-bodied) aircraft. These strategies are compared under a range of conditions, and are then integrated in a computer tool that can handle more complex problems. Presorting baggage at the origin by final destinations or groups of final destinations may be advantageous in some instances; indeed, this ‘zonal’ transfer has already been widely adopted by the airline industry.